Autumn in small town America. The leaves on the trees are showing off their best colors, but the people perhaps are not… There has been a brutal murder on the banks of the Delaware River, and the people of the town are not forthcoming with information. This is a tourist town – especially in the fall when nature paints a pretty picture. There is a local farm market next to the pedestrian bridge and the locals want the tourists to view their town as a place where nothing bad could happen. Yet, this town is also the home of the Scions. A violent motorcycle gang…

“If the people in Portland knew how to do one thing, it was to turn their backs, to look the other way, especially if it didn’t concern them, especially if it involved the Scions.”

Becca Kingsley, a devoted veterinary surgeon, has returned home to this town for two reasons. Her live-in partner, an attorney, has been cheating on her AND her father, the town’s former police chief, is dying of cancer.  Becca’s relationship with her father has been distant for most of her adult life. She remembers his womanizing ways. She remembers that he sent her away – that he made her forget something she wished she hadn’t seen.

Only the day before she moved back home, while jogging beside the Delaware River, Becca witnesses something that will haunt her…

As the first of a new series, “River Bodies” is a perfect blend of crime fiction and romantic suspense novel.  The pacing was ‘spot on’, and the descriptions well rendered.

The characters were all fully fleshed out making it easy for the reader to be empathetic to their situations. Even the villain of the piece was a person you couldn’t help but sympathize with. I love that in a book – giving you the perspectives of all sides.

Becca’s first love, detective Parker Reed, was everything one could hope for in a romantic interest, and as a policeman.

Becca Kingsley and her faithful German Shepherd dog Romy, along with detective Parker Reed,  were protagonists that I would like to read more of. I am now eagerly looking forward to reading the next books in the Northampton series entitled “Cold Woods” and “Spring Girls“. Two more titles for my exploding TBR.

This is a crime novel but also a character study. It is a story of familial relationships, betrayals, regret, loyalty, repressed memories, and moral dilemmas.  Overall, an easy, enjoyable read that I can highly recommend!

This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.

Karen Katchur is an award-winning suspense novelist with a bachelor of science in criminal justice and a master’s in education. She lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

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